Hello to all my Inspirational Addict supporters! As we all take a pause from our regularly scheduled programs and sit back to relax and soak up the holiday spirit with family and friends, I am wishing you all so much LOVE, JOY and GOOD HEALTH as we wrap up another year.

Let’s all create a little space for taking inventory of all the wonderful things we’ve accomplished along with the blessings in our lives; big and small and let it flood our hearts with gratitude. May that be the shift, new perspective or continued growth that uplifts us as 2019 is upon us.

I like to think of this time of year as a good time to sprinkle in as many savasana’s (corpse pose) as you need to reset. In yoga it means to; surrender, let the work go, allow every part of your body, mind and spirit to settle in to the present moment and simply receive with compassion.

You do not need to seek freedom in a different land, for it exists with your own body, heart, mind, and soul

— B.K.S. Iyengar

I hope you all have a magical Christmas Day and I look forward to sharing a lot more with you in the new year. Thank you for your support and inspiration. Your comments, suggestions, requests… are always welcome here, remember we are in this thing together!

Happy Thanksgiving my sweet souls… are you ready for the feast and the fun? This is truly one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn’t love a beautiful meal that brings people together whether it’s family gathering or a giant Friendsgiving! What I’ve realized matters most though, is getting to share it with the people you love. So put your phones away today, be social, connect with each other and be present. It’s just the best, so please enjoy to the fullest.

In past years, I’ve either taken great joy helping host or delighted in preparing one of my favorite dishes to contribute to a gathering and yes, I’m a total sucker for watching The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Fun fact: 1993 & 1997 I was in the parade as a dancer, I wish I had digital pix to share). Quite chilly but fun and unforgettable NY trips!

Although this year will be much different as I’m in Doha, Qatar where Thanksgiving is not celebrated— I am at least with my husband and little nugget and that means everything. I will find my way to some turkey and a fabulous green bean Arabic dish if it kills me. I’ve already been researching how I can stream the parade live from my computer. And then… let the Christmas carols begin!

We will soon venture from our upper seventy degree temperatures and ocean dips to the winter wonderland of Norway and Missouri getting the full magic of Christmas with our families. I’m looking forward to that too!

I’m beyond grateful for the experiences we get to have as a traveling family. Watching our baby girl smile, shake hands and blow kisses to every different ethnicity of people we encounter is a beautiful thing to witness. Although she’s too young to notice the cultural experience she’s already having I hope it will continue to open her heart to all people in loving way. I’m almost a half a day ahead of most of you in the U.S. surround by the Persian Gulf and palm trees. I’m feeling thankful and blessed to get to see the world and venture to places I didn’t even know existed. (You can google Qatar now too)

I have so many wonderful memories of all the different ways I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving and this will be another. No matter where you are we can all take time to reflect on our blessings, give thanks and also think about ways we can give back. I hope to host a yoga event in the new year and donate all the proceeds to California Fire relief. It’s been a tough few years for residents and I know that’s one thing I can do from my heart.

I’m wishing all of you a safe and very Happy Thanksgiving. Prayers, hugs and blessings too you. Thanks for stopping by!

Are you guys ready for some Neighborly love with me on the Lifetime Movie Channel? In the last two years I’ve played the lead role in three different thrillers with “Neighbor” somewhere in the title. The second one is about to debut, so set your DVR’S for “Seduced By My Neighbor” this SUNDAY, November 11th at 8/7 central. I bet you will recognize some other faces too…

For all my readers, you know I had a baby in July of 2017 and relocated to Sonoma California, so I’ve been on a new mama break of some sorts. Since my life has shifted into motherhood more predominately and I’m not actually in Hollywood anymore grinding out auditions regularly, I work less as an actress by the nature of my choices. Needless to say I’ve still been blessed with getting some fun offers (I usually don’t get offers) to work and having a blast being on set with some of the loveliest cast and crew members. I didn’t really know how my acting career would play out with all my life changes but I can say I’m super grateful to take these opportunities that come my way when I can.

What’s the premise of the film?

I play Sarah Goodwin. After a tragedy occurs we move to a new neighborhood to start fresh and be near my mother-in-law (Beth Broderick) who’s living an an assisted care center where I get hired with a new job. With her blessing and encouragement to date again, I open myself up to Chris, the firefighter (Rocky Myers). We are welcomed graciously into the community by the neighborhood security guard (Trevor St. John) who becomes a trusted friend while obsessing he is the best man to protect us. Things start going horribly wrong for my daughter (Sierra McCormick) and I. My character is challenged with loss, love and uncertainty.

What made you want to be a part of the film?

Sam Irvin a director I had enjoyed working with once before recommended me for the role which is always a flattering and delightful thing to have happen. I liked the emotional journey the script took me through. There is some dimension to my role and this was my first lead part since giving birth to my first baby in July 2017 so I was thrilled to do it.

What were some of your favorite moments from filming or behind the scenes?

We had the wonderful Louisville Fire Department actually volunteer their time to help us out in the movie for a scene which was very cool of them I thought. I always love the funny moments that catch you by surprise when shooting, those unstoppable giggles that sometimes get the best of you, which we had a few of. There’s a scene in the club house I shot with Chris (Rocky Myers) that in the script, just tore up my heart… that became one of my favorite scenes we shot. As a mama, I greatly appreciated the flexibility and support from production providing an on-set nanny along with my mom and husband rotating time with my daughter. The privacy for needing to breastfeed and get to see her on my lunch breaks during those long shooting days was a huge bonus!

What do you hope viewers take away from watching the movie?

Honestly when I think of movie watching, I often just want that time to pause from my real life. I want to wind down with being able to enjoy myself and relax. I hope that for the viewers as well.

Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on the movie?

Yes. Rocky Myers who plays, Chris, my love interest. Rocky happens to be one of my closest girlfriend’s, Erin Ross Myers, husbands. When I heard he was in the mix… I called them both and said, “You have to do this” selfishly hoping his wife, Erin and their baby would join for some of the shoot so we could all spend some time together. Rocky is a hard worker and was wonderful to work with. And for the record, it’s not easy having to kiss your girlfriends hubs for an acting role. That’s about as uncomfortable as it can get. We’re all in the business though so we’ve had a good laugh about it.

What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and the work that you do?

THANK YOU from the depths of my gracious heart!!! My fan base really began when I was on General Hospital in 2010/2011 and man have they stuck with me. I so appreciate anyone who takes the time to follow my journey and be a part of my world. Your comments and feedback are always welcome. I truly thank all of you.

I hope you guys get a chance to see “Seduced By My Neighbor” this Sunday, November 11th and 8/7central on the Lifetime Movie Channel. It’s fun getting to be on TV once in a while still, I hope it continues and you guys are right here with me cheering me along. Have a beautiful weekend and as always THANK YOU for stopping by.

Hi there gang, how’s your week going? I’m excited to share with you another discovery that has been incorporated into my essential skin care routine and the resourceful woman behind it all.

Is what’s in your deodorant important to you? Do you take a holistic approach to wellness and product choices? Ten + years ago I was unconcerned and uneducated. Today, these things are incredibly important and ever-evolving for me as I learn more about how toxins of many forms can effect our over-all health. Choosing what we put on our skin can be overwhelming and without educating ourselves and making our own wellness guideline preferences, we only have pretty packaging and convincing marketing strategies influencing our decisions.

Enthusiastically over the past decade now I’ve been ditching the bad stuff and choosing cleaner products that are free of parabens and preservatives. Finding a deodorant that works has been a challenge until now. Benedetta’s BEST Deodorant is the first one that I’ve felt works with my natural body scent, leaves a freshness and helps with sweat. There’s a thoughtful formulation created to achieve these very results.

I loved chatting with Benedetta founder, Julia Faller. She’s a believer in adhering to organic & biodynamic practices as she began her skin care formulations. One could call her a pioneer in this industry with over 20 years of expertise in her Farm-Sourced® Holistic Skin Care Line that’s completely made from plants and botanicals.

My Interview With Julia

ANDREA: Briefly tell me how you became interested in holistic health and how Benedetta evolved out of that?

JULIA: It was a process of who I am as a human being and what my choices were at an early age, and how that propelled me into conscious living and conscious thinking. Spiritually, I was looking for the truth in the way I saw my life. I searched for the guru, the yoga master… I think all of those things pave way. If you’re taking yoga or you have a meditation practice or a discipline, whatever that discipline is— it really does bring you into a state of consciousness and through that all things are possible. I think my lifestyle of many decades by the 1980’s initiated my desire to create something that nutritionally fed the skin. I started with the hydrating elixir’s without a vision or marketing plan for more. After seeing it’s usefulness, the elixir’s became the catalyst for the full line to evolve.

ANDREA: What is IN The Best Deodorant? And what makes it THE BEST? (I concur)

JULIA: There is a proprietary blend of eight essential oils that are all locally sourced here in California and a biodynamic blend of a certified organic grape vitis vinifera alcohol. The specific formulation has everything to do with why it works. It targets odor causing bacteria and supports bringing the body into balance. Most people want less sweating and while I wasn’t going to do an antiperspirant, I did look at what oils could help counteract the bacteria that causes excessive sweating. We often hear people say “natural deodorants don’t work.” We sample this quite a lot because it’s important for our customers to see for themselves. It’s Benedetta’s best selling product and we are thrilled with the response.

ANDREA: What is your mission?

JULIA: It really began with service first. What I mean by that is, creating something that didn’t exist, finding buyers that didn’t exist at a time it just didn’t exist. It’s no different for the deodorant or anything that I do. At that time, I was appalled and outraged that the Marin county women had the greatest incidents of breast cancer in our country. I thought it was my duty to create something that wasn’t on the shelves. There really weren’t any deodorants that were free of parabens even at health food stores and I went to those places to let them know they were selling stuff that really wasn’t clean. I don’t know how loud my voice was but I’ve learned to think I’m a little intense— (we have a laugh). Within a couple of years everyone began talking about parabens being not so great and studies were being done. I didn’t look at marketing first or where to make the money, it’s truly been about service.

Tip from Julia: One thing I’d ask your readers to consider when choosing skin care & body care products or anything topical is to know what the purpose and function is behind it, holistically.

I won’t list the natural deodorants I’ve tried previously but I’ve done a lot of experimenting and I’m not kidding when I say, I feel like I smell worse after having used some of them. In my experience, Benedetta’s Best Deodorant is doing 100% of what Julia has shared the products purpose and function is. After the first few uses I felt dryer, almost odorless and like I could use it every other day and feel fresh.

I’m so inspired by people like Julia who are passionate about helping where there’s a need for products that are safe and clean. We both agree, that it’s wonderful to see the trend of clean products making a huge statement more than ever and how loud we are as consumers. Julia has been paving the way with a line we should all get more familiar with.

Check out Benedetta’s full skin care line and don’t forget to get THE BEST DEODORANT with my discount code by clicking below. Enter ANDREA30 at check out for the full size.

Hey hey hey lovelies, I'm inspired to share the official Invitation to the GET MY BODY BACK 6 (GMBB6) elective by "The New Hollywood" (TNH) starting September 12th through December 11th. That's a long commitment, I know. The first year I had major resistance about committing to this and now this is my third year leading as an expert to help support. It's a beautiful way to end the year strong and hopefully invest in some new habits that become a way of life. That's what it's done for me and why I'm eager to get you on board.

Do you wish you got more sleep, drank more water, spent less time on social media, started a meditation practice, took walks frequently, ate healthier meals, watched less TV, carved out space just for you or engaged in more mindful activities with friends or loved ones... to suggest a few? HERE IS YOUR YOUR CHANCE, WITH A COMMUNITY SUPPORTING YOU! Accountability is often the motivation that we all need to stick to our goals. Receiving and giving support with my TNH Members and having that accountability aspect keeps me driven. I’m motivated to continue to grow and pay that energy forward in a variety of ways. I love the charity component to this challenge for that reason. We keep the karmic energy flowing by putting $100 (tax deductible) into our registration toward the charity of your choice and when you complete your challenge successfully, your charity will win from the pot and TNH will mail you a gift. Choose something, anything, big or small that you believe will create a healthier, happier lifestyle for YOU– let's do this!

Please visit the TNH link for all the details to register today and join our Facebook page for your support team and good luck!

Hi there gang, I hope you had a super weekend. I'm sending you some Monday Motivation hot off the press with one of my favorite wellness resources MindBodyGreen.

Have you ever been given a compliment only to immediately deflect it with a self-deprecating rebuttal? [Read full article published at MindBodyGreen]

Thank you to all of you who shared your comments and honesty about giving and receiving compliments. I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope this article, loaded with tips will be useful on our journey together.

Hello hello, is this thing still on? It's been a beat... how are you guys all doing out there? Thank you for stopping by today. Grab a cup of tea, coffee, water or whatever you fancy and let's get to it.

Do you practice meditating, accepting and manifesting? What kind of energy you are putting out into the universe? Are you attached to outcomes constantly? Questioning, worrying and shaking your crystal ball trying to predict situations before they happen? Does this clutter up your happiness?

When you get still, can you release your resistance with accepting things as they are and move into a more mindful place? These are important questions I ask myself, not just once but consistently and especially during challenging moments. Let’s start manifesting from this opened awareness.

I have been on a bit of an unintentional hiatus from writing recently. Practicing acceptance was high on my list these past few months as I got derailed from my usual track. I had to excuse myself while I was shooting a movie that wrapped the first week of June and from there rolled right into having tons of family and friends arrive in our hometown of Sonoma to celebrate our wedding which launched us to enjoying our baby girls first birthday! Yes you heard it… I am now a happily married woman to the most incredible man, Erik Almås and together, with great joy, we survived our first year of parenthood!

With an eager desire to get back into my groove, I jumped at the opportunity to join Deepak and Oprah for another 21 Day Meditation experience, “Energy of Attraction” that started July 23rd. I hope you loved it as much as I did if you just finished doing it too. Boy has it been an energetic game changer for me lately.

Often the smallest shifts can make big differences and encourage us to graciously accept things as they are a little easier. Who loves a good reminder to check-in with yourself when you have a lot happening and you feel your attitude slipping into glass half empty mode? Take a deep breath and SMILE… we just created some awareness together.

Life is incredible and I am surrounded by love and support so it's frustrating to sense my negativity internally and then give it more weight by vocalizing to anyone who is forced to listen. Do you ever annoy yourself in this way? I’m confident I’m not alone here because we are human. The good news is our awareness can propel us into a place of transformation. By quieting our minds and settling into some stillness we can release what’s not serving us with clarity and nurture what is, again and again. Let’s take some steps in the right direction.

TIPS FOR MEDITATION

Where do you go to get quiet, connect with yourself and breathe? It can be a yoga class for me or early morning as I wake up and sometimes as I wind down for bed. It’s anywhere I can pause for 10-20 minutes and use a mantra or phrase to repeat internally and meditate. Challenge yourself to create a consistent form of meditation that speaks to you.

Try not to forcefully push the negative or limiting thoughts away but see them and say “hi there, I hear you” and as gently as a fluffy cloud passing by in the sky, release them. If using a visual of your choice helps, do it. I love putting them in a balloon that I release or feel a gentle breeze lift them off me and carry them away. Get creative and change it up.

Honor yourself with compassion as distractions and rumblings in your mind most likely find their way back in. Consider the importance of observing your thoughts to be far more effective than emptying your mind out. Make sense? Continue to repeat the process of deeply breathing accompanied by your choice of mantra, visualization or simply focusing on your breathe with non-judgmental acceptance.

Clarity will start to arrive no matter what form of meditation you create for yourself. The pause from your daily schedule is what will significantly affect your ability to connect to acceptance more gracefully and consistently. Present state of awareness is what we’re going for whether for you; that’s on a hike, in a gym or sitting somewhere quietly. Rejuvenating the mind is how we can let go of the overwhelming feelings and pressures that can get in our way of being calm on a regular basis.

Pay attention and notice how this calm state influences your reactive mind and your responses to the situations that might ordinarily get you really flustered. We all want to be as happy as we can be right? So if there’s a way to use our minds to assist in our moment to moment well being, I ask why wouldn't we all want to do what it takes to slow down the chatter in the mind we are inundated with from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep?

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms 

— Thich That Hanh

May I inspire you to check out the various styles of mediation at The Secrets Of Yoga for a wonderful and brief breakdown of each to explore.

Additional Resources I Love

I will always be grateful for the Deepak and Oprah Free 21-Day Experiences they offer as it was the source that jump started my commitment several years ago and benefits my life greatly. I love the guided aspect and having an intention and mantra provided. I often re-listen to the opening talk for inspiration in teaching my yoga classes and at night to fall asleep peacefully. Going to the online library and choosing one for a family member or friend makes a great gift too! And it’s Deepak and Oprah, come-on:)

I’m a fan of Light Watkins who has a great book on Meditation titled, “Bliss More”, a TED Ex talk and fun interview on Mindbodygreen’s podcast. He is such a delightful human.

Mindsail is an emotional well-being App that I was honored to do the VOICE for the moodboosts component which you can access prior to subscribing. Two of my wonderful yoga clients developed this self-help vault giving you unique insights and tools to make better choices and live a happier more fulfilling life.

I also have done an online course with Ziva Meditation as I deeply related to Emily Fletcher’s lifestyle which lead her to study and create ZivaMind. With mindfulness, meditation and manifesting being the structure, students get the tools to be at the top of their personal and professional game.

Yoga and meditation are incredible practices that have changed my life. They have looked a little different since I've become a new mom but I've not lost site of their importance or my commitment. I'm profoundly more gracious and accepting of all the things I don't get done and take time to reflect on all the things that I do, which is a freeing space to be in. The awareness you create with mindful exercises will expand your life whether you had that intention or not (but that intention is a good one). It's pretty great when it surprises you and suddenly you now know what to shift around to make them a priority for yourself. I trust they've been healing my soul and guiding me to a healthy lifestyle from the inside out for years now. It's an ever-evolving journey that thrills me as I jump on my mat over and over again and embrace the challenges of being able to sit quietly with myself. My passion for writing about it and sharing it with students as a certified instructor comes from what it's done for me. I will always encourage you to find the physical and mindful activities that make your spirit soar, that shake you up and make you feel alive. You will never be sorry for finding a way to incorporate them into your days regularly. Go get'm!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your patience with me and continuing to support Inspirational Addict. I look forward to writing and sharing so much and hope this was my kick back into consistency. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome here. Have a beautiful weekend!

Happy Mother's Day Mama's. I hope you are showered with love today for how remarkable you are. Take time to thank yourself for all you do... and don't be afraid to get a little spoiled.

It's my first official Mother's Day and it has me beaming as I look at my daughter and reflect on how beautiful creating a little human is. The experience of Motherhood is absolutely extraordinary isn't it? It comes with so many feelings & responsibilities that aren't always a walk in the park either so I love that there is an extra special day to celebrate how tremendous MOTHERHOOD is. Let's give it up to Woodrow Wilson for establishing this as National celebration more than 100 years ago.

Because I feel that, in the Heavens above — The angels, whispering to one another, —Can find, among their burning terms of love — None so devotional as that of ‘Mother 

— Edgar Allen Poe

Even if you aren't a mama, YOU were brought into the world by one and that is just another reason to pause and feel thanks. Cherishing my Mom for all that she has done for me and countless sacrifices she's made to make life a little sweeter is on-going. I can't even begin to explain how happy it makes me that she "finally"get's to see me as a mama. My babygirl will have an opportunity to experience how lovely she is—Grandmas are so very special.

I say "finally" with grace. Beginning Motherhood at forty years old wouldn't have been what I ever imagined as I wrote in my dear diaries growing up. I see now how life's up's and down's placed me perfectly where I needed to be. Sometimes trusting the timing of your life can be so hard but also the most beautiful sense of contentment when you arrive. Today I'm still pinching myself in awe of the wonderful man I'm about to marry and with his help... I became a mom ten months ago. It's changed me forever in the best ways possible.

I hope I can be an inspiration in leading a healthy, happy lifestyle for you and your family regardless of the age you get started. I offer my strength and courage to the women who think they've missed their window or have lost faith in finding that amazing partner to share in the journey of parenthood with you. If you know you are destined to be a mother, never loose site of that. And if you know you want to share that experience with someone else... believe they will find you.

There was a time where I convinced myself I would be fine if I didn’t meet the right person to share my life with and get to have a family of my own. I was consumed with limiting beliefs and fear was highjacking the life I hoped for. I believe the shape that my life took once I really committed to yoga— which lead to healthier choices and a deeper sense of compassion for myself and others is what opened my heart to receive and give the love I have in my relationship today. As a parent I hope to continue to deepen these practices and create mindfulness in our home that everyone in our family will grow from. My life is bigger and fuller than I thought it could be. I'm wishing you all that and more.

I'm forever grateful for having a mother who instilled the values and belief's I want to pay forward with my daughter. I cherish all the mama's in my life who give endless support and advice and all the ones inspiring me from afar. I share in celebrating ALL OF YOU today!

Hi wonderful humans. I hope you're having a tremendous week. As a new mama I'm incredibly curious about mindful parenting, are you? I have no doubt that practicing mindfulness and mindful parenting have many differences but are equally influential when implemented in our home lives. It may be wishful thinking, but I pray for the day that all our education systems also include mindful practices into the curriculum. Wouldn't that be great for our children and our educators?

From the time an infant is one month old they start to make facial expressions and possibly even mimic some of their parents gestures. These first years of a child’s life are crucial for setting up a strong foundation for learning, relationships and mental health. As we stick out our tongues, play patty-cake and comfort with hugs and kisses, we quickly learn how babies and children are prone to copying behaviors they see. As the various developmental stages take shape, involving them them with things like yoga and meditation can help them deeply bond, sleep better, grow stronger, relieve fussiness, learn self-regulation, increase body awareness and promote neuromuscular development… just to touch on a few. Parents creating this space for themselves propels curiosity. Our little ones’ abilities to absorb impressions are rapid and undeniable so I implore us to experiment as early as we can. Although much of our information is young and anecdotal, I'm intrigued that research is revealing trends and further investigation is being prompted on how effective meditation and mindful practices are for our youth.

In many cases when a woman becomes pregnant, a mindful yoga practice is being recommended by doctors encouraging them to maintain a calm, healthy pregnancy. Various stressors, if become constant, may negatively affect a growing fetus so it’s no surprise parents are interested in learning how to reduce unhealthy stress and use coping mechanisms, like meditation and yoga, to assist in stress management. Throughout my pregnancy I remained consistent with my meditation practice often using the Chopra Center meditations as a guide. I truly believe that even now with our baby girl only being ten months old she recognizes the voices and has an understanding that it’s a relaxing time not just for mommy and daddy but for her as well. I have found in my own struggles with being up several times a night to breastfeed that using an uplifting mantra helps me create inner peace, stay relaxed and I easily fall back asleep after she’s done feeding. I can’t help but hope this affects her positively as well. She too has been observing and involved with my yoga practice since the day she’s arrived. I’ve watched her press into downward dog long before she could even crawl. She loves to be involved, crawling all around my mat and watches as I breathe and move through postures. My positive experience leads me to believe that it’s beneficial to weave these practices in as early as you get to hear a heartbeat.

Children are showing signs of anxiety, restlessness and stress earlier and being diagnosed with things like ADHD before the age of six. Parents in-turn have a perpetual concern about children’s attention. We have an opportunity to shift concern into action by showing and teaching mindfulness early on. The amount of interest being displayed with your child in the action you are promoting will be your best guide. While there isn’t a distinct age said to begin teaching meditation it’s been recommended by experts to start off short and simple. Perhaps trying one min of meditation per year of age. After working with children in a theater camp, ages four and up, I was shocked and thrilled to see how many knew what yoga and meditation was and were able to lay quietly as we practiced meditation in savasana at the end of our yoga session all together. With that said it’s important to pay attention to your child’s nature and temperament so it may take some trial and error to find the structure that feels good.

There are a variety of creative ways to invite your children into a calming mindful space that can lead to an ongoing meditation practice. Mindfulness is not simply sitting perfectly still; music and movement often make ideal mindfulness entry points as well. Whether it be creating a special space in your home, using things like a candle flame to focus on, encouraging imagination with colors and visualizing or saying mantras with simple breathing exercises, allow your child to partake in the idea fun and help lead the way to mindfulness. We can watch them evolve into healthy adults by offering them simple tools now and most importantly, leading by example. Here are some wonderful resources I’ve explored with my youth yoga students and baby girl and simply love.

Meddy Teddy is a 100% posable bear who practices yoga and meditation. Meddy can be a tool and a buddy as you bring awareness into how to sit or lay comfortably to meditate. His eyes are closed to remind us how to turn inward to ourselves as we find our breath to feel grounded and calm.

My Light Shines Bright is The Chopra Centers first guided meditation app for kids age 8-12. The 22 guided meditations are geared toward building confidence, encouraging good sleep, creativity, and deep connection.

Itsy Bitsy Yoga is a wonderful book by Helen Garabedian that introduces parents and babies to the many ways of bonding together and improving health. A delightful guide to introducing mindful techniques as early as birth.

Breathing Buddies Best-selling author Daniel Goleman shares such a sweet and simple way he observed children learning to use their breath and strengthen their focus in a classroom setting. After finding a comfortable place to stretch out they are to put their stuffed animal on their belly and count as they breathe in 1,2,3 and out 1,2,3, watching their toy move up and down.

I also weighed in on this topic with one of my favorite wellness platforms MindBodyGreen so please feel free to read more on kids and meditation there.

Thank you guys for stopping by! Would love to hear from you especially if you have kids and have insight on what’s working and not working for you! Wishing us all the very best as we navigate our way into mindful parenting.

Hello hello! Happy Wednesday. What’s a Baby turban you ask? I was clueless until this precious gift arrived for our babe shortly after becoming a new family of three.

So this one is for my mama’s and papa’s out there looking to wrap up their little bundle’s noggin in one of the sweetest head accessories we’ve found for our baby. Our ballet pink, vintage baby turban by BluTaylor was a gift from our friend Gaby that is seemingly loved by all, so I’m inclined to pay this forward. It’s practical, beyond cute and a noteworthy share.

We have been putting this on our sweetie-pie since she came home from the hospital. It’s incredibly soft, covers her sensitive little ears and now even at nine months old, isn’t tugging at it to pull it off constantly. It’s a gentle snug fit and gives Emerie a whole look, let me tell you! We can't seem to go out of the house wearing this without being stopped and someone asking "where is her head wrap from?" Aside from all that fun, I absolutely love what founder and designer, Katie and her brand stands for. She's another example of how life can give you unexpected tragedies and as personal healing blooms the desire to share that healing with others blooms even bigger. See BluTaylor about for more of her and her teams story.

5 Reasons To Get Yours Too

Their Preemie Program is wonderful. You can submit for your own preemie or for a friend and BluTaylor donates a baby turban custom tailored by Kate— awesome right?

BluTaylor head wraps are all handmade and the BLUE thread used in every one, regardless of the color or pattern, is to signify tailor-made HOPE.

They are made of super soft fabrics in vintage, classic or limited editions that stay out of your babies eyes!

Covering the head and precious ears with a gentle, snug fit makes for a great travel hat that babies won't tug off.

The variety of colors and patters are trendy & fun and not just for our little one's— they make them for adults now too.

As we placed this special gift onto our little one’s head and took her out into the world… the compliments and questions from others inspired me to look a little deeper into BluTaylor. I’m so grateful I did. I appreciate and value a brand like this! Please enjoy my limited time discount code and share the love. They certainly make great gifts! Click the button below to take you to shopping and enter BLUTAYLOR+BOGART for your discount when you check out.

A big thanks to BluTaylor for such a lovely collaboration with me. Although the swooning over Em in her turbans can make us all blush, I'm a bigger fan of simply spreading the word about brands with heart, integrity and a missional purpose! Lot’s of love beaming out to all of you this week! Have a great one and thank you for stopping by.

Well hello and Happy Earth Day guys! Doesn't a day like today give us reason to celebrate by showing some appreciation and also ask ourselves, "what am I doing to help our planet?"

I can honestly say... I WISH I WAS DOING MORE! My efforts can be grander, wiser and more thoughtful for sure, how about yours? I'm not going to give a long winded blog about how we can all be more conscious or list my greatest tips on what I think that looks like. Instead I'm going to say HAPPY EARTH DAY and simply encourage us to all get a little more curious about what we can do.

A few years ago I lead a yoga event in Malibu and a beautiful yogi named, Goli Gabbay attended. After the yoga we all we're visiting and getting to vibe with like-minded souls. As I learned more about her, she gave me one simple suggestion that has stuck with me. She said "just tell waiters at restaurants you don't need a plastic straw and if you buy them for home use— stop." Visit Goli's website for more on the impact she's making and desires to uplift people, animals and the planet. I don't claim to know her well, but in the few times I've met her she left a feeling with me of wanting to do more, try harder and get interested in how I can make changes to support our planet. Our curiosities lead to actions and our actions lead to results.

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little— Do what you can

— Sydney Smith

I lead a health conscious lifestyle, I recycle, I support sustainable & eco friendly companies and products wherever I can and make a great effort to buy less plastic! I do have metal, reusable straws which I love and use a copper water bottle {USE ANDREA for a discount on yours}. That doesn't seem like enough when I read about the plastic pollution problems alone. What if we all just picked one thing we could change or stopped buying or using that would support global wellness... the difference we could make would be incredible!

My favorite way to get excited about making change is to unplug and connect with nature... Hawaii was one place I spent time doing just that— simply appreciating our planet. We have to take better care of our home and together we can.

We need the tonic of wildness—to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell the whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink crawls with its belly close to the ground. At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be infinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.

— Henry David Thoreau

Get out in nature today. Take a minute to look around, absorb it's beauty and remember we have a responsibility to nurture her with all we got! Happy Earth Day, have a wonderful week and THANK YOU for being a part of Inspirational Addict.

Hello there! I hope you're all having a great week... who could use a little BIG MAGIC in their life? And by "BIG MAGIC", I mean the #1 New York Times Bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert. We are all creative beings and part of my wellness means keeping my creativity flowing. How about you? Taking time to write, design a good yoga flow, curate the perfect playlist, sing songs I make up with my baby girl... it's all creative. Think about how you can lean into your creativity, especially if it's your passion. Allow Gilbert to be a sensational guide.

It’s not an easy job to wake up everyday and pride yourself with enough gusto to begin, continue or finish a project your investing your heart in. The struggle is real with resistance and writhing ourselves with angst often attaching unnecessary melodrama to our process of creating. Elizabeth Gilbert delightfully reassures us we are all creative beings that behold a treasure chest full of jewels and it's up to us to decide which of our precious stones will be revealed throughout life. With an honest perspective bedazzled in a no bullshit demeanor, I laughed out loud multiple times. Humbled from being able to relate, not only to her experiences, but the examples of many, recognizing my own patterns and behaviors that get in the way and can bring my process to a screeching halt. I have journals of children's literature ideas and stories written from 2009 to the present that sadly I’ve never pushed myself to execute further, until now. In 2012 I started writing the phrase, “start your blog,” regularly on to-do lists. After spending three years redundantly researching “how to start a blog,” I finally launched Inspirational Addict in 2015. I love writing more than ever and don’t make a dime from it… yet— and that doesn’t matter. Since recently becoming a new mom, I’m inspired to recommit to my children’s stories and work toward getting published. My sense of wonder and excitement has a stronger foundation since I got my hands on this lovely read, reinstating my passion for simply creating.

How many of you have ideas that you sit on for years and sometimes never follow through because of fear of rejection and self doubt? One of the best self-motivating tools I’ve acquired in my journey is curiosity, which Gilbert talks in-depth on. Curiosity gives us great insight to inspiration and tests how far we are willing to stretch ourselves into the unknown with acceptance of whatever results we end up with. This read, reminded us to, “for the love of God, create for the sake of creating”. It brings me great joy because let’s face it, with today’s social media platforms everyone seems to be a photographer, blogger, story teller etc. and comparing yourself by means of self-destruction rather than inspiration, will destroy your process for sure. We don’t need permission to be creative and authentic, we GET to be. So as “Big Magic” graciously honors the creator everyone, I’m along side Ms. Gilbert, encouraging us to listen and pay and attention as ideas guide us to places that ignite our souls and push forth with confidence into the things we love wholeheartedly.

If you snag the book on Amazon or check it out on Audible let me know how you like it! I love hearing from you guys... Cheers to being creative in however we choose to be! Happy Wellness Wednesday.

How much do we LOVE drinking water? I hope you're having a great week and staying hydrated with clean & safe drinking water. If you aren’t aware of the many benefits there are to increasing your water intake let me list a few to get you thinking….

Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue

Promotes Weight Loss

Flushes Out Toxins

Improves Skin Complexion

Maintains Regularity

Boosts Immune System

Natural Headache Remedy

Prevents Cramps & Sprains

So many great reasons right? Now let me get you thinking about how one type of bottle can naturally alkalize your drinking water and provide more health benefits by the vessel it’s in. Have you guys ever heard of a “copper water bottle?” I’ve been drinking out of one now for over a month and love it. The copper water bottle by Copperh2o is my Wellness Wednesday feature this week because they are doing great things I want to support! You can never smile too big about things you love!

I’m on-the-go A LOT and I always like to have a bottle of water with me to remind myself to drink throughout out the day. Habitually, I have been guilty of buying plastic alkalized water bottles for the past several years. It’s expensive and don’t even get me started about the amount of plastic that is polluting our oceans and creating major problems for our sacred Mother Earth. I’ve been conscious about this for awhile and I switched to glass water bottles as much as possible but now I have an even better solution! Please take a moment to hop on over to the COPPER WATER BOTTLE and snag some wonderful information about the benefits of drinking out of a 100% pure high-grade food-safe copper vessel. Don’t miss their Good Karma program noting that 15% of their profit goest to several non-profit organizations that work to supply clean drinking water in developing countries.

Photo from Copperh2o

my honest review

Not only am I stoked about the taste of water from this copper bottle, the gorgeous look, the no spill cap, easy to clean, benefits I'm receiving and good karma touch— I'm probably most excited that I'm reusing it regularly and no longer buying plastic bottles for my excessive intake of water! While I can't yet physically tell a difference from drinking out of my copper vessel as far as all it's benefits... I'm delighted to be a test case!

Follow @copperh2o and hashtag #copperh2o #InspirationalAddict with your new bottle for us— I’d love to feature you! If you have already tried a copper water bottle, I'd love to hear your thoughts too. Thanks again for stopping by and catching some of my wellness Wednesday vibes. Have a wonderful rest of the week gang.

Happy Wednesday Lovelies! How’s your week going? Are you creating some space for mindfulness & self-care for your deserving soul? I love when things cross my path that remind me to take a break from our to-do lists, auto-pilot behaviors and just breathe into what’s happening right in this moment. The sun is shining bright today, the breeze blowing so subtly through my curtain and after a week of rain the evidence of Spring is everywhere. Deep breath in— deep breath out. How good does that feel?

Have you ever been curious about how yoga could or does relate to your life? It doesn’t matter how long or short of a time you’ve been practicing, we will continuously be surprised at how much this practice reveals and supports where we are in our lives. The time spent on our mat can be a vehicle for transformation as life’s experiences take us up and down and to places unknown. The growth I continue to feel as a practitioner and a certified instructor doesn’t happen without the inspiration of others that I learn from. If you don’t already know who Andrea Marcum is... you should. My yoga journey has been beautifully enriched as I show up on my mat again and again. Andrea is the witty & gracious guide sharing her gifts with me... and the world I may add.

I found Andrea at Best You Studio years ago after moving to Miracle Mile in Los Angeles and searching best yoga instructor on yelp. I remember her asking me my name since I was new to class. We both chuckled after I said, “Andrea”. My intuition was clear. I had a sudden need to blurt out “you’re going to be my mentor" like a 5 year old proclaiming they’d just tied their own shoes for the first time. I felt a deeper connection to myself throughout that seventy-five minute class than I ever had before. I laughed out loud a handful of times, I wept like baby and when class ended I felt like something major just happened. I was a mess when I first landed in her class and it was a mucky ride for while but I always left feeling better than when I arrived. The really juicy gunk started to become the best part and whether; I face planted trying bakasana (crow), sobbed my way through hip openers or realized the people pleasing, perfectionist in me needed to learn to just be, I was genuinely feeling more joy and happiness as I'd get in my car and drive home from class. The pull to keep going was profound and my commitment was one I was excited about. Andrea has a humorous way of leading us in a humbling dance with our minds and bodies utilizing the very essence of yoga to be one we explore on our mats and effortlessly immerse into our everyday lives. I’ve spent years practicing in a studio setting and traveling through India on an International Yoga retreat with her, I’m grateful for how much I get to absorb from this accomplished soul. She's been an integral part of why I was inspired to get certified and have been teaching for the past 6 years.

Please allow this wise human to welcome you to your mat and embark on an adventure I assure you will not turn away from. I will warn you of her ab sequences as that may be the one time you want to take a bullet train off course— hang in there, everything has a purpose. You can find Marcum literally everywhere these days; Studio classes at YogaWorks in LA, Online Classes, Workshops and Retreats around the world AND may I encourage you to join her Om Community as you listen or read her newly published, absolutely fantastic book, “Close To Om”. I'm so thankful I can practice with her on-line since I've relocated to Sonoma. I miss her presence beyond belief but I don't have to miss her awesome classes. Whew!

I have a signed copy from Andrea Marcum I'd be delighted to put in the hands of one of my sweet subscribers, so leave a comment to be entered in the drawing— Winner announced next Wednesday 4/4/18 at 5PM PT.

Andrea's passion, knowledge, humor and grace strut across pages throughout this book. I love that you can be a seasoned yogi or brand new and feel like you're right where you need to be with enjoying it. She threads the perfect amount of philosophy and creates an opportunity for you to jump on your mat with clarity. If you are even the slightest bit curious about yoga and how you can apply the practice to your life you would love this book. Her shared life experiences and stories invites us all in to be exactly who we are and appreciate how a consistent yoga practice can deeply connect you to a deeper sense of self... her wit will keep you laughing and humble.

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing

— George Bernard Shaw

Thank you for stopping by gang and I hope you're liking Wellness Wednesdays... It's so fun to share things that I love and play a part major role in my happiness. I'll keep paying things forward and let me know what you're liking! I love hearing from you... don't forget to leave a comment so I know you're interested in winning an Andrea Marcum sighed copy of "Close To Om".

Hello and Happy Healthy Wednesday! Are you guys excited for Spring? I'm already soaking up the inspiration of natures wonders all around me... including the weeklong rain showers we're having in Sonoma. It's going to make everything so green and lush and I can't wait to see what is going to blossom from it all. Such a good reminder for how we too can bloom in new exciting ways!

Part of why I love writing and having a place to share is to pay forward things I have found helpful in life. I'm always inspired to offer little bits of knowledge that support my on-going journey to living a happy, healthy lifestyle with all of you. Our own curiosities are what keeps us all growing and learning as we go, right? In my own challenges to carve out space for writing as I navigate my way through being a new mama, I thought giving myself a weekly theme would create the consistency I crave to push out here. I'm motivated by Spring! What's inspiring you right now?

So thank you for joining me for Wellness Wednesdays. I'm going to be paying forward insightful tips, ideas, stories, people, brands, etc. that I love and encourage us to continue to lean into living with vitality and cultivate that healthy lifestyle we all desire.

To kick this off in style I want to introduce you guys to MINDBODYGREEN, one of my favorite platforms full of useful articles, stories and more. They also recently launched their podcast with founder and CEO, Jason Wachob, and it's wonderful. I was introduced to the company by one of my dear friends as he recommended me for this incredible REVITALIZE retreat they hold once a year. I'm a subscriber and visit this site regularly. Being a new mama I have a lot of concerns about how to raise a healthy child and look for great resources I can trust. I love the change makers, innovators, healers, experts and wellness leaders they have sharing their knowledge. A broad range of topics are covered and if you want to get in a little deeper they even offer classes and trainings you can purchase. I love everything they are about. If you want your social feeds to have some great daily inspiration, tips and things that will put a smile on your face, I suggest you follow them everywhere!

I recently wanted some more ideas and knowledge about what to feed my eight month old and this lovely little article on Why What You Feed Your Kids Really Matters was such a great read. If you have kids or plan to... here is one to get you started.

I hope you take a peek into Mindbodygreen and should you find anything useful I'll feel like my job was done here. I don't get to read as often as I used to so podcasts are my jam, make sure to check it out if that feels more doable! Thank you for popping by and I look forward to our Wednesdays and more. Any comments or feedback is always welcome here. Big Hugs, have a brilliant rest of your week.

Hi there lovelies! This may be one of my favorite topics and I'm thrilled to have collaborated with Marie Chantel's beautiful blog to share how yoga could be beneficial to your child.

New mom, yoga practitioner and certified instructor, Andrea Bogart tells us why every child should have the opportunity to explore yoga, practice mindfulness and how it can make our world a better place to raise these wonderful little beings.

— Marie Chantal

Yoga for kids? What a lovely idea… if you haven’t already, may I inspire you to introduce the wonderful world of yoga and all its benefits to the children in your life? It’s never too early or too late to encourage a happy, healthy lifestyle for our youth.

Yoga practice gives way for a child’s imagination to be stimulated and explored in a multitude of fun ways. With the rising sun, we sweep the sky with our fingertips and swan dive to our toes. Just like a tree in the forest, we plant our roots and expand our branches. We can stand as tall as a mountain at its highest peak and lunge like a warrior to guard our heart. Friendly animals such as a frog, butterfly, giraffe, dog and cat are used to associate with simple postures. Imagine how relaxing it is to float away on a soft, fluffy cloud. Compelling storytelling and magic carpets, (aka yoga mats,) like the Chi Yoga Mat can encourage a playful way to learn and serve as a road map on an adventurous journey; physically and mindfully.

In today’s fast paced, over-stimulating, device reliant and genetically modified arena, the importance of personal connection, quieting the mind and embracing stillness aligned with self-love, acceptance and compassion is not just essential for adults but even more important for our kids. Yoga, by nature supports these things. Bringing the family together to create a bond and have some fun breathing, stretching and developing body awareness together, is connecting in a whole new way. A positive self image, cultivating peace and kindness, exploring balance, coordination, posture, strength and flexibility are among the many reasons to practice yoga at any age. Learning about mindfulness, including meditation and breathwork can help children manage their emotions with-in themselves, in their social interactions and inspire them to make better choices when given the opportunities. Children with ADHD have trouble dealing with some of the components of the human condition and are said to lack the mind/body connection, which yoga is made up of and strengthens. Aside from the skills already mentioned, yoga improves focus, attention span, relaxation and decreases stress and anxiety.

This special practice can be a parents best friend and an optimal tool for children to learn to self-regulate by gaining an understanding of how they can control their ever-fluctuating energy levels. Imagine your child having the know how to check-in with themselves in a circumstance that feels overwhelming and be able to pause and say, ”mom, I need to sit quietly to take some breaths and calm myself” or you baring witness to their increased happiness and stress managing skills as a result of a consistent practice. Believe it, it’s happening and will continue to as yoga becomes more feasible for our youth. Developing this space for children is growing rapidly in schools and other mindful programs are being implemented as research around yoga for kids, shows the statistics of mental and physical health and performance improving. Thus supporting that these things serve as a valuable element nationwide in our schools curricula providing education of the whole child; mind, body and spirit.

This is a 5,000 year old spiritual practice derived from ancient India that means “union” which focuses on the harmony of mind and body and empowers a greater sense of self. Lending support in all cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, yoga teaches non-judgement and compassion for all beings. It’s an opportunity in a non-competitive environment to equip kids with skills that help them deal with the variety of lifestyle pressures they may be experiencing. Let’s face it, kids deal with a ton more pressure today than ever before, stemming from social media, academic, varied care-givers, broken-homes, multiple activities and more. To have an outlet such as yoga that can transform their ability to cultivate more peace, joy and love while improving physical health could be life changing for a child. As a new mama, yoga practitioner and certified instructor myself, I’d love to see every child have the opportunity to explore yoga and mindfulness practices and see if we can make our world a better place to raise these wonderful beings.

Thank you for popping by and if you have a child practicing yoga and can speak to the benefits or would like to share anything relating to this topic we'd love to hear from you! It's already such a joy to see how observant our 7 month old is when we practice yoga with her near. I swear she's been pressing into downward dog before she could even crawl. She lights up when we play on the mat and connect in this way. I can't wait to keep sharing this beautiful practice as she grows up. I hope we continue to see more opportunities for our youth in this area. Make sure you hop over to Marie-Chantal and check out this article and much more.

Mini heart explosions, staring the day away observing their every move, nuzzling so hard it brings you to tears, feeling a kind of deep love that's hard to put into words? It’s so true, all of it... and it brings such joy to my life— having a baby.

It’s not possible to quantify how much happiness bringing another human life into this world gives a parent. Let’s just agree it’s absolutely the best thing ever! Suddenly you're home with this amazing being and you feel the desperation to do things as if there is a set guide book on how to be the best parent raising the greatest kid on earth— anyone else feel that? Take some deep breaths, tune-in to your courage, faith and trust your intuition. You will feel so connected with your tiny babe and in my experience... you will not be lead astray. You're a brilliant team. You are YOUR team, no one else's.

Of course, we will call friends, ask our own mother's and lean into resources for guidance, especially if you're a first time parent. In my quest to find answers to questions during my pregnancy and once our little bunny entered the world, I came across one too many articles that frankly scared the bejeezus out of me. I wasn’t intending to stumble upon so many; “what they don’t tell you” kind of stories about vaginas, fatigue and more. No offense, I’m an open book and I like some insight as much as the next one, but I really wanted and needed to focus on all the good and encourage my powerful mind and body to keep manifesting the greatest experience of a lifetime.

So for all of you; mamas, soon-to-be, hoping to be or praying for a miracle. YOU are incredible. I REPEAT, trust in this perfect journey and your undeniable intuition. Mama joys are an everyday occurrence and as easy as it can be to slip into negative thought patterns of doubt, worry and even failure... I PRACTICE catching myself, shifting perspective and choosing trust, courage and joy. We are six months into parenthood and a good portion of it feels like I’m getting to re-live being a child. Parents, do you feel me? Here's some fun things to try if you're just getting your feet wet.

FUN and FUNNY (me not the baby)

Early to bed, early to rise… passing out mid meal, with a bit of drool.

Making mouth noises ranging from fart sounds to motorboats.

Singing songs like you know the melody and lyrics but just make up your own, terribly cute isn't it?

Performing giggly goo’s and monkey moves as if that is strong choice to get your babe to laugh. It is though, am I wrong?

Challenging your character voices during story time to see if your baby recognizes the changes... the looks I get from our girl are priceless.

These are just a few of the ways in which we get to visit our playful minds again, all for the sake of getting the love and attention from our little explorer looking to discover new things.

HONOR

The ability to pull yourself out of a deep slumber at lightening speed to feed and or nurture your babe back to sleep. And then yourself.

Becoming Octamom or dad, yes a parent with multiplying, helpful appendages where suddenly even your toes, feet & elbows become more useful than you thought was humanly possible.

Your partner or whatever kind of system you have raising your child. We are all imperfect and feel it so verbal validation and giving our loving support as consistently as changing diapers is a major WIN on all accounts for everyone.

It's incredibly important to applaud yourself often and wrap your parenting team up in compassion. We are responsible for a new life and it's not easy... honor all that you are doing.

DELIGHT

The milestone changes that happen so quickly, from smiling while they sleep, giggling out loud, roll over, get teeth, hug you and taste food for the first time, to name a few.

The connection you create between your tribe... the bond is incredible. It's indescribable and will cause your heart to swell repeatedly.

The poops, especially the explosive one's that travel beyond the diaper and can cause a 15 min time-out at any part of your day. Just lean into a fun pew-wee potty song and it will be over fast. You just must delight in this.

Sometimes we get so busy we miss what's happening right in front of us. The number of times I get delightfully sidetracked from perhaps what I was intending to do to see our girl play with a toy independently, explore a new space, sleep like an angel... or whatever it may be, is worthy of reminding myself to be present.

LOVE

Speak it, show it, be it. I don't believe a baby can be over loved in any capacity. Smother away, I say... a million kisses a day.

Relish in the love you receive, embrace it fully and let it guide you like a light through the questionable, worry-some times.

LOVE yourself for all the choices you make, the things you learn and grow from as a parent and for braving what some would consider being the most challenging thing a human can experience— raising a happy, healthy, kind child. AMEN

My heart was set on writing a blog about a few of the extraordinary pieces of parenthood that make us smile. The LOVE we give and receive is simply perfection. You can't go wrong with loving your babe. The joys of being a parent are steadfast. Growing abundantly daily. Remind yourself of these very things when difficult moments arrive. And there will be difficult moments. If any of you parents who have far more experience than me have some fun stories to share back... I'm ALL ears! Thank you so so much for popping by. Happy parenting!

My mother’s gifts of courage to me were both large and small. The latter are woven so subtly into the fabric of my psyche that I can hardly distinguish where she stops and I begin.

Do you love traveling abroad? It's hard for me not to fall in love with new places. There is something spectacular about exploring, seeing things for the first time and feeling captivated by the unfamiliar. If you ever happen to fall in love with more than just the place, like perhaps someone from another part of the world, it's a pretty good idea to familiarize yourself with their cultural upbringing. Although this may not pertain to you, may I inspire you to read on anyway?

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime

— Mark Twain

After living in Japan in 1999-2000 I increasingly became curious about how to absorb more as I ventured through various parts of the world. Typically you snag your Travel Guide Books, head to Pinterest for how to pack, download your Duolingo and boom you're on your way. You never know when an opportunity may rise for adventure or you become goo-goo eyed and end up sharing your life with someone from a country you’ve never been to and know very little about. How fun is that... and slightly intimidating.

This is my third winter bundling up and heading to my mans home town of Trondheim, Norway where the night falls nineteen hours of the day during this time of year. For three hundred delicate minutes the sun dances on the rooftops in this storybook town and we hurry out to frolic like school kids at recess in the crisp, fresh air. It reminds me of the perfect scene that once upon a time, only sat beneath my grandmas Christmas tree with little colorful houses and towns people arranged flawlessly amongst the marshmallow puffs of snow. Twinkling lights glimmer from everyone's homes as if stars laid upon the peaks and valleys of the city. The winter wonderland we sing popular holiday carols about... well it truly exists. My bare eyes can hardly believe I get to visit here for the rest of my life.

After twenty seven hours of travel, four flights and one rock-star five-month-old baby we are welcomed with open arms and brought into Eriks families home who’s bustling with holiday cheer– it's so koselig (cozy). The first two years I did the travel on my own and I wasn't sure what to expect. He sent me this video to prepare me for my arrival. I was nervous after watching it, to put it politely.

Americans try traditional Norwegian Christmas dishes.

Needless to say Erik's family has never made me try anything too crazy and we always have exceptional organic home cooked meals. It's a special part of being in Norway with them for sure. I was also gifted “The Social Guidebook to Norway” that has been quite helpful in my understanding of some differences between American and Norwegian expressions.

I’ve found this language even more challenging to try to learn than what little Japanese i picked up, so there’s been some resistance. While I often still sit quietly at the table, yet intently watching everyone's mouths as Norwegian dialogue flies rapidly from mouth to mouth and laughter often bursts from a story just told, I wonder, how will I ever learn this? I’m guilty of not putting enough effort into it yet and shame on me for that... I’m about to marry this man! I do plan to learn with our babygirl and get back to my Duolingo practice so I can at least say a few of my wedding vowels in Norwegian, wish me luck!

The amount of time you're traveling in a place will often dictate how much you immerse yourself in the culture. No matter how brief or long your stay may be... here are a few very simple tips of mine.

Find a Gallery

While you peruse a bit ask the employees for their favorite coffee shop or where the best place is to get an organic meal. Gallery peeps are in the know. They will send you to the most superb spots.

Be Active

I often take a yoga class in whatever city I'm visiting. If not that... rent a bike, go for a walk or run. I love to just feel like a local and doing any of these activities will put you there and familiarize you with the area you're staying.

Get a Little Lost

I love knowing where I'm headed but being able to wander around without relying on my google maps guiding me every step of the way is kinda great sometimes! Don't be afraid to get turned around and head the opposite way you meant to. Ask around to find your way again and explore the places you stumble upon. (Choose wisely when to do this, don't get yourself in a pickle)

If you're anything like me you can always prepare before you go... research on-line, look at pictures, seek out the cities top 10 things to do and so on. Just make room for some spontaneity and excitement to ensue so you can come home with little gems. Moments that took you by surprise.

I hope to keep traveling the world and bringing you guys with me. I love hearing from you and by all means share some of your favorite places you've been with me. Hope you are rocking 2018 so far and thank you for stopping by.

Happy New Year from NORWAY! Isn't the start of a new year the biggest breath of fresh air? I hope you've all relaxed, reflected and thought about what 2018 is going to look like for you; mind, body and spirit.

Whether you are they type of person who outlines your resolutions and goals for the year or someone who takes it in strides choosing one thing you'd like to focus on out of the gate.... do yourself a favor and keep it simple and clear. I start with identifying what is going to serve myself and my life best and consider what it will take to make the change or changes. I'm fortunate to be part of a women's group www.TheNewHollywood.org out of LA that provides the members with a guide book and I believe, soon to be publicly available. It's a wonderful tool if used effectively that can help you create and manifest what you'd like to achieve and see happen in a year. We break it into quarters with points of focus for each that support our twelve goals or aspirations we've outlined. Although it takes time to sit down and do, it allows for more clarity and you simplify how to get there. I accomplish much more in a year since I joined this supportive group and use the book. There's certainly a plethora of ways to bring more joy, peace & motivation into your world and they don't have to be written down or outlined in a book, that is just a process I'm enjoying. I say do what works for you. Maintain the things that are already working and enjoy the possibilities of discovering something new. As we leap into 2018 together with enthusiasm, can I inspire you to fill it with gratitude and intentions in any form that serve you well?

My yoga & meditation practices are other incredible tools that have changed my life. They have looked a little different since I've become a new Mom but I've not lost site of their importance or my commitment. My baby-girl is seemingly growing fond of being on her play yard while watching mamma stretch and meditating while I breastfeed is sometimes just the best I can do. I'm profoundly more gracious and accepting of all the things I don't get done and take time to reflect on all the things that I do, which is a freeing space to be in. The awareness you create with mindful exercises will expand your life whether you had that intention or not. It's pretty great when it surprises you and suddenly you now know what to shift around to make them a priority for yourself. I trust they've been healing my soul and guiding me to a healthy lifestyle from the inside out for years now. It's an ever-evolving journey that thrills me as I jump on my mat over and over again and embrace the challenges of being able to sit quietly with myself. My passion for writing about it and sharing it with students as an instructor comes from what it's done for me. I will always encourage you to find the physical and mindful activities that make your spirit soar, that shake you up and make you feel alive. You will never be sorry for finding a way to incorporate them into your days regularly. Go get'm!

I'm wising you all so much love, light and happiness for a beautiful 2018. I love hearing from you guys so don't hesitate to leave a comment if something you do is working great too, I love the exchange of tips and helpful resources for each other. I hope Inspirational Addict can continue to be a place you come that lifts you up and makes you smile with our shared vulnerabilities, stories, experiences and adventures of life! I've cherished all the comments and e-mails this year and look forward to the year ahead.

The joys of the holidays are bustling with shopping, entertaining, being merry and you're wondering what is something mindful I can give this year? I'm hear to help– I take great pleasure in paying forward things I love, so may I suggest a few from Andrea's Favorite Things?

Seeking motivation and daily affirmations for setting intentions became increasingly prominent for me as I found great books like “Journey To The Heart.” The beautifully written, short stories that fill the pages of a 365 day enlightening experience is one I know I will do again in this lifetime. It’s not only a heartwarming cozy cup of goodness, the messages often propelled a focus point for me to pay forward with yoga clients and supported my soul searching quest to live my greatest-good. I felt more connected to myself and a deeper sense of compassion toward the world in which we live after a year spent dedicated to this read.

Daily Affirmation Book

I'm newly experimenting with Moleskins Smart Notebook as I love handwriting things down but for blogging I am always wishing some of those ideas and journal entries would magically appear in my notes or documents on my digital devices– and this does that. Tip; make sure to hold the pen correctly. I'm kind of a journal junky... ton's of creative inspiration and clarity come from writing regularly. Have fun doing it and take note what it does for you.

Moleskin Digital Notebook

I get asked quite a lot about the yoga mat I use. I spend a lot of time on it as a practitioner and instructor so a good mat is important to me. Whether you are practicing regularly or once in a while the Manduka PROLite is the one I refer the most. I have tried several yoga mats and some I like for certain reasons better than others but this mat is the overall win for me. It had me at non-toxic and sustainable engineering but lightweight, high-density cushion, and emission free manufacturing are all more perks of this fabulous mat. A lifetime guarantee certainly doesn't hurt either. You're also essentially encouraging yoga too which in my book is one of the best gifts ever!

Manduka PROLite Yoga Mat

The Giving Keys has been one of my favorite companies founded by my beautiful friend, Caitlin Crosby for years. With every purchase, you create employment opportunities for people transitioning out of homelessness, how cool is that? I was gifted my first key, BELIEVE by Caitlin and since then have acquired several more and love sharing this mindful brand. Rocking an empowering word for you and then paying a word forward to someone else in a cleverly cool way adds a mindful touch. Have fun exploring as they keep expanding. Journals just launched too!

The Giving Keys

As I gain tremendous curiosity about what we put into our bodies; what we put ON our bodies with lotions, make-up and a multitude of products is also of great concern. We have isles of products to choose from with an overly saturated market of toxic ingredients in them. I have been using cleaner products for years but as safer brands emerge, I'd love to give Beautycounter my heart, want to join me? I'm making new friends in Sonoma and the loveliest of women have recommended I explore the line catching my vibe. Jenna Maze, is a wonderful rep helping me sample before purchasing for myself and my babygirl. Check it out, read the story, peruse the Never List and try somethings out. The struggle sometimes is finding the safe stuff to look as good as the toxic stuff... Beauty Counter is hitting a home-run there for me. There is so much to choose from and amazing gift sets for great prices! And with a mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone, I'm certainly a proud advocate. Click the photo to start shopping!

Beautycounter Products

I could keep going but there's no need to overdue it, I'm attempting to more of a minimilist! Click the photos for the direct links. Have fun checking things out should they interest you or be the perfect gift for the special people in your life. If you have any questions or comments you can always leave them here. Happy Holidays and in the spirit of giving... may you all be wrapped up with blessings and love through this wonderful time of year. Thank you for stopping by!